Have you experienced a miracle lately?

8/4/2011

It was one of the most famous lines ever uttered by a sports broadcaster. In the waning moments of Team USA’s historic victory over the mighty Soviet hockey team in Lake Placid, ABC’s Al Michael cried out, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!”

On that day, Friday, Feb. 2, 1980, it was easy to believe. A group of amateur players from the U.S. had just defeated what many considered the greatest hockey team ever assembled at the Winter Olympics. That watershed sports event is forever known as “Miracle on Ice.”

Of course, some of the biggest miracles don’t ever make it to broadcast news. We experience them in the life of the church. Perhaps we should be sharing them more regularly and more freely.

It is easy for Christians to grow weary discussing dwindling finances of the church, membership decline, doctrinal debates, denominational division, etc. But who ever gets tired of hearing about miracles?

Have you experienced a miracle lately? For many people, it is an uncomfortable topic. Miracles? In a modern, evidence-demanding, science-dependent world? Really?

The mainstream media has little clue how to handle stories of miracles. Check that. It knows perfectly well. It ignores them. As a result, media coverage on matters of faith almost exclusively involves the controversy of the day, legal issues or administrative action by church leadership. In short, all the topics we rarely discuss with our family, friends and fellow believers.

Who goes to church because they like to serve on committees? Who commits their life to Christ because they enjoy writing policy statements?

On the other hand, we all enjoy hearing first-hand accounts of answered prayer, miraculous healings, transformed lives, divine appointments. They are the bread-and-butter of our Christian experience, evidence of God among us, testimony to the hope we have in Christ.

Coincidently, as I write these words, the main feature on the Washington Post On Faith site is headlined: When Christianity becomes lethal. It is a commentary about the recent murderous rampage in Norway. Apparently, if you can follow the logic of the author – not an easy task – Christianity is more about violence and cruelty and hatred than love and forgiveness.

The mainstream media is more comfortable connecting Christianity to extremism and hatred than it does to miracles. Of course, extremism and hatred are easier to believe in. What a shame.

Albert Einstein was quoted as saying, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

Einstein, though never to be confused with a theologian, made it clear that he believed miracles were commonplace, evident all around us. Do you?

Unexplained healings, as an answer to prayer, often leave doctors grasping for explanations. But it is the inward healings that can be the most dramatic. If you are involved in the Christian community for any length of time, you’d have to intentionally keep your eyes closed not to see miracles.

It is not as easy to read about them.

Have you experienced a miracle lately? Has your family or church? Let us know so we can share it with others.

News can be defined in many ways. The Bible might have been completed 2,000 years ago, but it is still news. The North Georgia Advocate would like to invite you to share your Good News.

The world needs to hear it.

Glenn Hannigan is editor of the North Georgia Advocate. You can e-mail him atglenn@advocate.org.